Helsinki has always been one of such – mysterious, bright and quite homogenous city surrounded by waters, far away in Europes’ North. But the city image I had before was about to shrink away just being disembarked at Helsinki port. The impact of Finnish capital’s experience became so significant, therefore it was needed weeks to calibrate this review undoubtedly esteeming city as one of top three in Europe and top overall expedition.

This year’s Transmission surprised its fans with a rich Anjunabeats line-up for such a festival, considering so few progressive-sound names playing there during last years, but such DJs as Above & Beyond, Ilan Bluestone and Grum have attracted a lot of new fans to the festival, bringing some AnjunaFamily vibe with them (as you could see from people coming to the festival faster to the festival than usually, with a goal to catch their favorite artists, which were playing quite early). As the first two above-mentioned names have released their albums in the beginning of this year, we decided to shortly interview Grum, who’s album is coming out really soon, to find out what we can expect from it, why it took him such a long time for the next album and more!

Thanks to Grum for the nice chat!

First of all, how do you feel yourself in Prague? Is it your first time here?

Yes, I think, this is actually first time I’ve ever been to Prague, so, yeah, I don’t know… I like it.

Do you have time to enjoy the city too?

No, I leave in the morning, so just a really quick trip, but everything is really nicely organized here, and it’s all great.

So, what do you expect from tonight then?

I don’t know much about Transmission, to be honest, but well, one of my friends sent me some videos last week of Aly & Fila, all the lasers and things, and it looked impressive, so I’m looking forward to seeing my set back and see how it looks.

Do you know that it’s better to stay till the end the best lasers?

Oh really? Ok…

(Hopefully Grum will got to see his lasers too! Photo credit: Transmission festival)

How did it happen that you are playing here? Transmission is mostly known for its uplifting music, but this year there are 3 Anjunabeats DJs, which is something different. Is there idea, why something is changed?

I don’t know, to be honest. Only thing, when Above & Beyond are playing, they like to bring their own support, so maybe that’s why there are more artists of progressive sound.

Well, people are satisfied, as you will see a lot of fans with Anjuna T-shirts and symbolic in the crowd.

Oh, cool!

Next – more about the music. Are you going to play something from your upcoming album?

Yeah, I’ve got few tracks that I will be playing tonight.

Is there some reason why it took you quite a lot of time to make a new album, considering that the first (previous) one was released like 8 years ago?

I don’t know, I just kind of changed the style of music I was doing, and you have to build momentum when you change it, if you are going to the music scene. There has to be enough demand for the base, so this year I got to the point when there was enough demand, so it felt as a right time.

So after playing at ABGT celebrations this year and before and all the other parties..

Yes, I felt that this was the good year to do it.

If not a secret, is it Anjunabeats or Anjunadeep, considering the name ‘Deep State’?

Well, everything I’ve done is Anjunabeats, but I do play some Anjunadeep in my sets and things like that. I think, musically I fall between two labels, but I am more on Anjunabeats side.

Then, what can you tell about the album? What can people expect? Some hints?

Hmm… Heh [smile]. That’s a very open question. I think it’s definitely above a step up from me and the music I was making before. Definitely got some influences, which are probably kind of new to my fans, like some I haven’t really used before. There’s some stuff on there that was inspired by proper old 90s, trance, I’ll say. Well, maybe not quite as fast as then. There’s enough of hadn’t really done so much before. Also there’s 00s inspired stuff as well, which some of my older fans may enjoy, you know, from the first album. I kind of really wanted to move away from that stuff for a while, but I sort of come back to it, a little bit.

The specific date for Grum’s ‘Deep State’ album is not announced yet, but it will be out on Anjunabeats in December 2018!

The Amsterdam Dance Event is approaching and approaching fast. Another year back to the world capital of electronic music… and especially the home of Trance with a capital T. Quest4Trance will be there, as you would expect, and they’re bringing a lot to take in!

Every year around September, we, the trance fans, get that itch that tells us that ADE is almost here. This year it won’t be different, and Quest4Trance has something BIG ready for all of us, trance lovers: on October 19th, they’re putting up a special ADE edition with extra-long sets, just what we all were waiting for!

When you mention Luminosity Beach Festival, there’s no person from trance music world without getting to know this event. During the past decade, Luminosity Beach Festival is named between the most famous festivals and has grown into world-known trance event, probably such just the one, with the longest, every year astonishing lineup, pure beach location and trance lovers from around the globe.

Every year, when the festival date is approaching and the lineup is being announced part by part, many of event attenders post about trying to solve it and later getting lost into the choices between DJs, stages, which sets, trance acts to pick and which ones to miss without regretting. It’s a mission impossible to detect a similar lineup for trance event, festival. Especially this year so far.

If you were asked to paint a dream of trance festival, what would it look like, what paintbrush strokes would you use? Would you draw first the most passionate and addicted trance lovers from around the world, various countries, trance lovers who just can’t miss this legendary festival? All together for not less than couple of days diving into various subgenres of trance music? Envisioning the dreamy location during summer time probably leaves no choices – imagination leads to nowhere but a wide sandy beach with sea breeze and a view of breaking waves against endless skies and horizon.

Enclose all that by the lineup without comparison, astounding by variety of trance DJs and acts, projects every single time you open the timetable – and the trance festival dream will be complete. The lineup has some of trance DJs or sets you have been hunting for ages – they were invited and getting ready to play here, at Luminosity Beach Festival, where the dream to see them performing live finally will be real.

As the summer festival season is only starting, and one of the most intriguing and young festivals EDMANIA will happen in the small city in Slovakia – Trenčín, which became famous thanks to previous EDMANIA editions. This festival, which for few years already brings people not only from Slovakia, but also other countries together, will open its doors to the music lovers and ravers already this Friday – June 22, and for the first time in almost 3 years it will last not just one, but two days!

Often, there are unique events in special exclusive locations and travelling to those ones creates one entire exciting experience that starts very early. From entering an airport or boarding a plane with excitement, when you are one step closer, when each of it is imbued by the synthesis of world’s leading trance music act, Above & Beyond, and performance in their home, London.

The unique event of trance trio, such like only once or twice a year, this time was arranged in London’s Finsbury park, Creamfields’ Steel Yard megastructure. As it was stated, Steel Yard currently is the largest structure of its kind in Europe. In numbers? 15000 visitors can party inside the construction at once, so it becomes one of the biggest venues in London to host legends Above & Beyond and their own event this year.

After making us fall in love once and again with his singles along many years, Ben Gold has embarked into producing an album, and he has delivered. Oh lord, he has indeed delivered! Let’s have a look upon the first chapter of Ben Gold’s debut album!

Ben Gold’s massive talent has never been in question. Since he started back in 2006, he was always a promise for trance, and now he has become an established figure in our gigs. He’s one of the best producers in trance music nowadays and people can like his style to different extents, but in the end he is, after all, an extremely skilled DJ and producer.

It’s that night in Amsterdam, at club Panama, when counting to the first hour of opening the door to the party you get the feeling you are missing something strong, deep and every second is so important to get there as soon as possible. Wherever you are, whatever you are enjoying, any company – your heart feels the door is open, and the start of Luminosity event as A State Of Trance preparty is a magnet shining over the city and attracts you to the one place and one direction.

The melomane better known as Hazem Beltagui , who introduced a unique style of Trance composing named after “melotrance” is finally back with his debut solo artist album “VIVID” on Aly & Fila record label Future Sound of Egypt!